In 2018, Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) Ghana paid Ghc 1.3 billion as tax to the Ghana Revenue Authority and Ghc 1.84 million to industry Regulators? National Communications Authority and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication.
MTN Ghana has also created employment opportunities for Ghanaians, earning MTN Ghana the Global Employer of the Year 2018 Award.
Within ten years, MTN Ghana's partnership with Ghanaian banks to provide mobile financial services has also grown from nine to 19 banks, with 112,000 agents, 5,000 foot soldiers in direct and indirect employment.
With 13 million registered Mobile Money subscribers, MTN Ghana made Ghc 139 million interest payments on Mobile Money in the year 2018, and through Mobile Money, foreign currency remittances have become easily facilitated, resulting in US$ 90 million inflows into Ghana in the first quarter of 2019.
According to Mr Selorm Adadevo, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Ghana, who was the lead presenter at this year's edition of the annual MTN Ghana Stakeholder and Media Forum in Accra on Monday, April 8, 2019, the subscriber base of Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) Ghana grew in 2018 by 2.3 million to reach 20.1 million, while data users grew by 1.5 million to reach 13.5 million.
Mr Adadevo said in 2018, MTN investments also grew by Ghc 8 million, while 3G coverage expanded into 77 areas, with 4G coverage reaching 135 districts and Mobile Money subscribers growing by 1.3 million to reach 13.6 million? the growth being driven by Voice (15.1%), Data (30.2%) and Mobile Money (60-.3%).
He said in 2018, MTN Ghana invested Ghc 825 million in Network, Telephony and Information Technology (IT) systems and deployed 600 2G, 1,100 3G and 250 4G sites, respectively.
He recalled the successful launch in 2018 of MTN Ghana's Initial Public Offer (IPO) which raised three billion, four hundred and seventy million shares to cede 35 percent of its ownership to Ghanaians
Mr Adadevo said MTN Ghana was the best Telecommunications Network in Ghana, receiving more than 45 awards spanning Ghana, Africa and the world at large, adding that with more that 20 million customers, MTN Ghana was the only Ghanaian company to achieve Investor-in-People International Standards Organization (ISO) Gold status certification.
Describing 2019 as the Year of the Customer, he pledged the commitment of MTN Ghana to pursuing further growth by upgrading its existing sites and deploying 450 new sites as well as expanding its fibre optic network.
To that effect, he said, this year, MTN Ghana would invest US$160 million (Approximately Ghc 840 million) in Network improvement, Telephony and IT systems.
MTN Ghana Foundation and Corporate Social Responsibility
According to the report presented, with an investment of US $ 13 million, MTN Ghana Foundation? the primary vehicle for the implementation of MTN Ghana's Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in the priority areas of health, education and economic empowerment? funded a total of 145 projects in 2018, which impacted on four million people across the country and earning MTN Ghana the CSR Company of the Year Award as well as the High Corporate Blood Donor Award for its Save a Life Campaign.
Some of the projects funded by MTN Ghana Foundation, the overview indicated, are the Heroes of Change, Green Initiatives, construction of a 4-unit classroom block with an ICT-integrated library the Police Basic School at Tesano in Accra.
On challenges, the overview complained of 100 fibre cuts monthly through road and drain construction, by the Electricity Company of Ghana, Ghana Water Company Limited, Ghana Railway Development Authority and mining companies? which was affecting effective service delivery.
The purpose of the annual MTN Ghana Stakeholder and Media Forum is to inform Ghanaians about the company's business performance in the previous year and present its focus for the current year.
Present at this year's event included Mr Affail Monney, President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, Chairman of the National Media Commission and Mr Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications.
In his remarks, Mr Monney urged MTN Ghana to consider a legacy project for the GJA in commemoration of the GJA's 70th anniversary.
He stressed the need for continuous collaboration between MTN Ghana and GJA, and urged MTN Ghana to support journalists through training programmes that would promote ethical journalism as well as help the GJA to modernize its Website.
On his part, Mr Ayeboafoh urged MTN Ghana to open up in order to build a better relationship between it and the media, adding that the media and the public had the duty to be informed about profits or income that was repatriated.
He urged the media not to be swayed, but to be diligent with information in the public domain in order to dispassionately interrogate it.
In a statement, Mr Asigbey called for support for MTN Ghana in its efforts to create employment, adding that the 40 percent tax levied on the Telecom companies was too high and urged Government to consider reducing it.
He described the menace of fibre cuts as an issue of grave concern and pledged to work to address the challenge.
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